Carriers for bottles and other articles



Oct. 24, 1967 w. H. WRIGHT CARRIERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER ARTICLES 4 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed June 28, 1965 'z azzi Oct. 24, 1967 w. H. WRIGHT 3,348,730

CARRIERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed June 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS 1967 w. H. WRIGHT 3,348,730

CARRIERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed June 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 III ATTORNEYS.

W. H. WRIGHT Oct. 24, 1967 CARRIERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 28, 1965 United States Patent 3,348,730 CARRIERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER ARTICLES William H. Wright, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The C. W. Zumbiel Company, Norwood, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 28, 1965, Ser. No. 467,583 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-111) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE The invention resides in a carrier formed from a plastic sheet material in which the handle is of beam-like construction, comprising overlapped sections or panels, combined with composite end walls which comprise pairs of end wall panels joined along vertical seams at the center of the composite end walls. The end wall seams include end wall flaps bent inwardy from the end wall panels and having extensions which project upwardly above the upper edges of the end walls. The upwardly projecting extensions of the end Wall flaps are connected to the handle panels at opposite ends by means of staples so as to provide a re-enforced connection between the handle portion and the carrier body. In combination with the re-enforced handle and its connection with the carrier body, the carrier further includes cut out sections in the end wall panels which delineate attachment tabs connected to the associated end wall panels, the tabs delineating respective openings in the end wall panels and being folded inwardly from the end wall panels. The attachment tabs overlie the opposite sides of the face-to-face end wall flaps and are secured thereto by staples which are applied through the openings delineated by the tabs. The arrangement has the double function of delineating the attachment tabs and also of providing the access openings through which the staples are attached by a suitable tool upon erection of the carton from its blank formation.

This invention relates to improvements in portable carriers of the type used in displaying and transporting bottled beverages and the like. Bottle carriers of the present invention are of the well-known type constructed to confine the bottles in groups of six or eight for convenient transportation.

Carriers of this category are normally constructed from a unitary, one piece sheet of material having cut and score lines judiciously located, whereby the sheet of material, when folded and secured, includes space for the designated group of similarly shaped bottles. The prior art discloses many carriers of this general type, each having advantages and disadvantages with respect to the others. Cardboard and other paper-based materials have been a favored product for use as the body of such carriers, since it has the advantage of being inexpensive, relatively strong, and easily cut, folded and glued. The primary disadvantage of paper-based material is its short life. Once wet, its strength is greatly diminished and, due to the nature of bottled products, carriers of this material oftentimes do come in contact with ice and other moisture-producing substances.

The most obvious advantages of carriers formed from plastic material are their strength, their long life, their light weight and their ability to be unaffected by mois- 3,348,730 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 ture. One principal difiiculty of plastic carriers of suflicient strength and durability to support heavy canned and bottled beverages is the problem of securing the various flaps after erection. Cardboard, on the other hand, readily adapts itself to adhesive securements, as noted above.

It has been a primary object of the invention to provide a bottle carrier of the type designated which is formed of plastic sheet material having an upstanding, centrally located carrying handle which is of multi-ply overlap construction which includes reinforcing flaps joined to the body of the carrier and interfitted within the handle to strengthen the connection between the carrier body and handle.

A further objective of this invention has been to provide a bottle carrier wherein the handle portion is provided with a hand-grip opening having a relatively wde, beam-like bearing surface covering the edges of the opening, thereby to spread the weight of the container and merchandise evenly over the hand.

A still further objective of this invention has been the provision of a novel cutout in the end panels of a carrier to form tabs in which staples may be applied to perma nently secure the edges of the carrier together and at the same time provide openings whereby the stapling instrument can reach the interior of the carrier.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a carrier constructed according to the principles of the invention, with the carrier in partially expanded condition;

' FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the carrier fully expanded;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of FIGURE 2.;

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional view along the line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary bottom view of the carrier as indicated by the line 77 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view along line 88 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the blank from which the carrier is made.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view of the carrier in partially erected but in flat condition, with the body portion of the carrier assembled and stapled, and with the front portion of the carrier body broken away. In this view, the handle portion of the carrier is in partially folded condition before being doubled over to its final form. 7 FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 10, further illustrating the construction of the handle in its unfolded condition.

FIGURE 12 is a view showing the carrier in its erected and stapled fiat condition, similar to FIGURE 10, the front portion of the carrier shown in its overfolded position. In this view the handle portion is doubled over upon itself and stapled in its final position.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIGURE 12, further detailing the construction of the handle in folded and stapled condition.

Described generally with reference to the drawings, the carrier of this invention is indicated generally at in FIGURES 1 and 2. As shown in these views, the carrier comprises a composite bottom, indicated generally at 11, a pair of side wall panels 12-12, and a pair of composite end walls 1313. As noted above, the carrier is fabricated from a one-piece sheet blank of plastic material, as indicated in FIGURE 9. The several wall panels for the composite bottom 11, side wall panels 12 and composite end walls 13 and also the other components of the carrier are delineated by score lines which are impressed in the plastic sheet while it is in its fiat blank form. The several score lines are called fold lines in the detailed description of the carrier which follows.

The bottle carrier, which has been selected to illustrate the principles of the invention, is arranged for confining a group of six bottles, the individual bottles being segregated from one another by separators 14 which are integral with the sheet blank from which the carrier is fabricated. It will be understood that carriers which are intended for containing groups of eight bottles,or which are intended for any other desired number of bottles or other objects may be fabricated in the same manner, with suitable changes in the sheet blank to accommodate the desired group size.

As best shown in FIGURES'2-4 and 9, one composite end wall 13 of the carrier comprises end wall panels 15 15 which are joined to the side wall panels 12 along the vertical score lines or fold lines 16. The opposite composite end wall 13 comprises a similar pair of end Wall panels 15 joined to the opposite edges of the side wall panels 12 along the fold lines 16.-In the partially collapsed condition of the carrier (FIGURE 3), and in the fully collapsed condition (FIGURES 10 and 12) the end wall panels 15 on the right hand end are folded inwardly between the side wall panels 12 while end wall panels 15 at the left hand end project outwardly.

The bottle separators 14, as explained later,.are bent along lines parallel with the end wall panels 15. In the fully collapsed condition of the carrier (not shown), the end wallpanels 15 and separators 14 reside in a common plane with reference to the side wall panels 12.

As best shown in FIGURES 1, 5, 6 and 9, the composite bottom 11 comprises a pair of bottom panels 17 17 joined to the side wall panels 12 along the fold lines 18. The two bottom panels 17 are subdivided by an intermediate fold line extending parallel with the fold lines 18-18. The fold line 20 permits the composite bottom 11 to be bent upwardly (FIGURE 1) when the carrier is collapsed to its fiat condition. Theiopposite edges of the composite bottom 11 are chamfered to provide respective V-shaped notches 21-21, with the apex of the notches coinciding with the intermediate fold line 20 (FIGURE 9). These notches 21 form a part of a snap-type latch for locking the carrier in its erected condition (FIGURE 2), as described below.

Referring back to FIGURE 9, the outer edge of each end wall panel 15 includes a flap 22 which is delineated by the fold line 23. The lower edge portion of each flap 22 is notched out as at 24 to delineate a spur 25. In the erected condition of the carrier, the end wall flaps 22 are folded inwardly in facial engagement with one another (FIGURES 7' and 8) such that the spurs 25 are arranged in pairs at opposite end to be snapped into engagement with the V-shaped notches 21. The spurs 25, upon engagement with the notches 21, lock the bottom panels 17 in fiat condition, thus squaring up the composite end walls 13 with reference to the side Wall panels 12 and also squaring up the bottle separators 14. The carrier, in this condition is ready to be filled.

It will be understood at this point, that prior to erection, the sheet blank shown in FIGURE 9 is folded progressively (FIGURES 10 and 12) to an assembled but flat condition and that the end wall panels 15 are secured permanently together at this stage. This forms a receptacle which is subsequently erected to the condition shown in FIGURES l to 3. This arrangement permits the carriers to be packed compactly in the flat condition for storage and shipment and permits them to be erected individually in a convenient manner simply by applying endwise pressure. This brings the carrier to its squared condition (FIGURES 2 and 4) permitting the spurs 25 to be snapped into engagement with the notches 21 (FIGURES 7 and 8).

In order to delineate the individual bottle holding receptacles along opposite sides of the carrier, there is provided a handle, indicated generally at 26 in FIGURES 1, 2, 9, l0 and 12. In the erected carrier, the handle 26 (which is of beam construction) extends along the middle of the carrier parallel with the side wall panels 12 (FIG- URES 2 and 4). The bottle confining receptacles are thus delineated on opposite sides of the carrier by the handle 26. As explained later in detail, the bottle separators 14 are integral with the handle 26 and side wall panels 12.

In order to convert the flat sheet blank (FIGURE 9) to carrier formation, the side wall panels 12-12 are folded over from the position of FIGURE 10 to the position of FIGURE 12 and into facial engagement with one another. In the second position (FIGURE 13) the composite bottom 11 is doubledupon itself and projects outwardly from the side wall panels 12. With the blank thus partially folded, the end wall panels 15, which form the composite end Walls 13, project outwardly beyond the edges of the side wall panels 12 at right angles to the bottom panels 17 (FIGURE 10). The flaps 22 of the end wall panels are then folded inwardly into facial engagement with one another, thus residing between the end wall panels 15.

In order to facilitate the stapling operation, tabs 27 (FIGURES 6 and 8), arranged in pairs in the end wall panels 15, are struck from the panels 1515 along the fold lines 23. In folding the carrier for erection, the lines of severance provided by the tabs 27 provide openings 30 which permit a stapling mechanism to apply staples 28 directly through the tabs 27 and through the flaps 22 to form four-ply reinforcing sections for the end wall panels 15.

The stapling operation along the end panels 15 maybe carried out with the end panels projecting outwardly, as indicated at the left end of FIGURE 3, prior to folding the handle 26 upon itself. After both composite end walls have been stapled, the handle 26 may be folded and secured by staples 28, as explained later.

Alternatively, the carrier may be stapled while in its erected condition shown in FIGURE 2. In this event, the staples 28 may be applied to the tabs 27 through the openings, 30' in the same manner with an instrument which reaches through the openings 30 of the squared end walls. In this case, the handle section 26 may beassembled and stapled concurrently with the stapling of the tabs 27. With the end wall flaps 22 doubled upon themselves, the spurs 25 of the flaps 22 are in doubled formation at opposite ends of the carrier to provide a firm support for the composite bottom 11, upon erection of the car- The bottle separators 14 are delineated 'by the cuts 31 (FIGURE 9). These cuts 31, together with the fold lines 32 of the separators 14 form the individual bottle openings 33 (FIGURE 2) when the carton is expanded to the erected position. It should be noted (FIGURE 9) that the longitudinal extensions of fold lines 23, beyond their points of intersection with cuts 31, form flap extensions 34 projecting above their associated end panels 15. When the carton iserected, these flap extensions 34 fall between the handle panels, as explained below, so as to present a multi-ply lamination forming a beamlike handle of plastic whichis penetrated by the staples 28.

The composite handle, indicated earlier at 26, extends from the side wall panel 12 in the form of three handlesections in order to provide the required strength. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 9, the handle 26 is formed by a first section 35, a return section 36, and an intermediate section 37. The first section 35 is joined to the side panel 12 by the separators 14-14. The return section 36 is joined to the first section 35 along the score line 38. The intermediate section 37 is joined to the end of the return section 36 along the score line 40. As best shown in FIGURE 2, the handle 26, extends upwardly from the carrier with the fold line 38 forming the upper edge of the handle 26.

It will be noted in FIGURE 9, that the first handle section 35 includes a hand-grip opening 41 having a flap 42 joined along the score line 43. The return flap 36 includes a similar hand-grip opening 44 having a flap 45 joined along the handle section by a score line 46. The intermediate handle section 37 includes a hand-grip opening 47 having a flap 48 joined along the edge of the opening by a score line 50. In order to further reinforce the composite beam-like handle 26, the opposite edges of the blank include a strip 51 (FIGURE 9) delineated by the cuts 52 and 3131. In the erected carrier, the strap 51 resides between the first handle section 35 and the intermediate handle section 37. As explained later, the second handle section 36 overlies the strap 51 when the return handle section 36 and the intermediate handle section 37 are doubled over upon the first handle section 35 (FIGURES 12 and 13).

The flap extension 34 at the upper left corner of the blank (FIGURE 9) includes a tab 53 delineated by a score line 54. The intermediate handle section 37 includes a slot 55 to receive the tab 53 which, upon erection (FIG- URE is inserted through the slot 55 formed in the strap 51.

One of the straps 51 includes a reinforcement tab 56 which is joined to the stra 51 along a score line 57. The several laminations thus provided, including the intermediate handle section 37 and the overlapping handle sections 35 and 36, are secured by the series of staples 28 noted earlier, as best shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 12 to form the composite beam-like handle 26.

In erecting the carrier, the side wall panels 12-12 are bent upwardly along their fold lines 18-18, thus forming the bottom 11 and side walls 12 of the carrier (FIGURES 6, 12 and 13). The end wall panels 15, which form the composite end walls 13, are then folded inwardly (FIGURES 1 and 3) to a common plane, with the flaps 22 folded to the interior of the carrier in face-toface contact. The tabs 27 of the end wall panels are then folded inwardly to facial engagement with their associated flaps 22 and are secured by the staples 28, as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 8. The same procedure is followed with reference to the end wall panels 15 at the opposite end of the carrier.

After the tabs 27 are secured by the sta les 28, the composite bottom 11 is pushed upwardly so that the spurs 25 can be snapped into engagement with the notches 21, thereby to support the composite bottom at opposite ends of the carrier. Between the preformed cuts and folds shown in FIGURE 9, the separators 14 span the lateral width of the carton; the handle 26 can then be folded along line 38 so that the handle openings 41, 44 and 47 are in registry (FIGURE 13). The handle sections 35, 36 and 37 are spaced from one another by the extensions 34, which, combined with the overlapping handle sections 35 and 36 and intermediate section 37 provide a multi-ply plastic lamination of beam-like construction enetrated by the staples 28, as can best be seen in FIGURE 13. After the handle sections 35, 36 and 37 are folded, their flaps 42, 45 and 48 are bent to project through the hand-grip openings 41, 44 and 47 to provide a comfortable hand bearing surface.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In a collapsible one-piece bottle carrier having a carrier body comprising a composite bottom, a pair of side wall panels, a pair of composite end walls each having a pair of end wall panels connected to the opposite ends of said side wall panels, and a beam-like handle connected to said carrier body, the handle having a first section and a second section doubled over upon the first section, the improvement comprising:

an end wall flap projecting from the free edge of each of said end wall panels;

said end wall flaps delineated by fold lines extending vertically along said end wall panels in the erected condition of the carrier;

the end wall flaps of each pair of end wall panels being disposed in facial engagement with one another and being folded into the interior of said carrier body;

each of said end wall panels including an attachment tab delineated by lines of severance;

each of said attachment tabs hingedly connected to its associated end wall panel along the vertical fold line which delineates the end wall flap relative to the end wall panel;

each of said attachment tabs delineating an opening in its associated end wall panel and being folded inwardly at right angles to its end wall panel and disposed in facial engagement with its associated end wall flap, whereby said inwardly folded end wall flaps and related end wall tabs are disposed in facial relationship with one another in the erected condition of the carrier;

a staple extending through said folded end wall flaps and related end wall attachment tabs and clinched thereover and securing said end wall flaps and end wall tabs in facial engagement with one another, thereby to lock the carrier in erected condition;

said end wall flaps each having a flap extension projecting upwardly beyond the upper edge of the carrier body;

said flap extensions being disposed between the said first and second handle sections which are doubled over upon one another;

and respective staples passing through each of said flap extensions and through said first and second handle sections and clinched thereover, thereby securing said flap extensions to said beam-like handle, whereby the weight load of the carrier body, at least in part, is transmitted from said carrier body through the said flap extensions to said beamlike handle.

2. In a collapsible one-piece bottle carrier having a carrier body comprising a composite bottom, a pair of side wall panels, a pair of composite end walls each having a pair of end wall panels connected to the opposite ends of said side wall panels, and a beam-like handle connected to said carrier body, the handle having a first section and a second section doubled over upon the first section, the improvement comprising:

an end wall flap projecting from the free edge of each of said end wall panels;

said end wall flaps delineated by fold lines extending vertically along said end wall panels in the erected condition of the carrier;

the end wall flaps of each pair of end wall panels being disposed in facial engagement with one another and being folded into the interior of said carrier body;

each of said end wall panels including a pair of attachment tabs disposed one above the other and delineated by lines of severance;

each of said attachment tabs hingedly connected to its associated end wall panel along the vertical fold line which delineates the end wall flap relative to the end wall panel;

each of said attachment tabs delineating an opening in its associated end wall panel and being folded inwardly at right angles to its end wall panel and disposed in facial engagement with its associated end wall flap, whereby said inwardly folded end wall flaps and related end .wall tabs are disposed in facial relationship with one another in the erected condition of the carrier;

a plurality of staples penetrating said end wall flaps and said end wall tabs which reside in facial engagement with one another and clinched thereover, thereby to lock the carrier in erected condition;

each of said end wall flaps having a flap extension projecting upwardly beyond the upper edge of the carrier body;

said flap extensions being disposed between the said first and second handle sections which are doubled over upon one another;

and a plurality of staples penetrating said first and second handle sections and the flap extensions which are disposed therebetween and clinched thereover, whereby the weight load of the carrier body, at least in part, is transmitted from said carrier body through the said flap extension to said bearn-like handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/ 1942 Arneson 229-,-52

6/ 1943 Slevin 220113 4/1947 Holy 229-52 4/ 1964 Arneson 220113 5/1965 Arneson 220113 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/ 1957 Belgium.

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A COLLAPSIBLE ONE-PIECE BOTTLE CARRIER HAVING A CARRIER BODY COMPRISING A COMPOSITE BOTTOM, A PAIR OF SIDE WALL PANELS, A PAIR OF COMPOSITE END WALLS EACH HAVING A PAIR OF END WALL PANELS CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS, AND A BEAM-LIKE HANDLE CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIER BODY, THE HANDLE HAVING A FIRST SECTION AND A SECOND SECTION DOUBLED OVER UPON THE FIRST SECTION, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: AN END WALL FLAP PROJECTING FROM THE FREE EDGE OF EACH OF SAID END WALL PANELS; SAID END WALL FLAPS DELINEATED BY FOLD LINES EXTENDING VERTICALLY ALONG SAID END WALL PANELS IN THE ERECTED CONDITION OF THE CARRIER; THE END WALL FLAPS OF EACH PAIR OF END WALL PANELS BEING DISPOSED IN FACIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND BEING FOLDED INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CARRIER BODY; EACH OF SAID END WALL PANELS INCLUDING AN ATTACHMENT TAB DELINEATED BY LINES OF SEVERANCE; EACH OF SAID ATTACHMENT TABS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO ITS ASSOCIATED END WALL PANEL ALONG THE VERTICAL FOLD LINE WHICH DELINEATES THE END WALL FLAP RELATIVE TO THE END WALL PANEL; EACH OF SAID ATTACHMENT TABS DELINEATING AN OPENING IN ITS ASSOCIATED END WALL PANEL AND BEING FOLDED INWARDLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO ITS END WALL PANEL AND DISPOSED IN FACIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ITS ASSOCIATED END WALL FLAP, WHEREBY SAID INWARDLY FOLDED END WALL FLAPS AND RELATED END WALL TABS ARE DISPOSED IN FACIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE ERECTED CONDITION OF THE CARRIER; A STAPLE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FOLDED END WALL FLAPS AND RELATED END WALL ATTACHMENT TABS AND CLINCHED THEREOVER AND SECURING SAID END WALL FLAPS AND END WALL TABS IN FACIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER, THEREBY TO LOCK THE CARRIER IN ERECTED CONDITION; SAID END WALL FLAPS EACH HAVING A FLAP EXTENSION PROJECTING UPWARDLY BEYOND THE UPPER EDGE OF THE CARRIER BODY; SAID FLAP EXTENSIONS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND HANDLE SECTIONS WHICH ARE DOUBLED OVER UPON ONE ANOTHER; AND RESPECTIVE STAPLES PASSING THROUGH EACH OF SAID FLAP EXTENSIONS AND THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND HANDLE SECTIONS AND CLINCHED THEREOVER, THEREBY SECURING SAID FLAP EXTENSION TO SAID BEAM-LIKE HANDLE, WHEREBY THE WEIGHT LOAD OF THE CARRIER BODY, AT LEAST IN PART, IS TRANSMITTED FROM SAID CARRIER BODY THROUGH THE SAID FLAP EXTENSIONS TO SAID BEAMLIKE HANDLE. 